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NY Debarking Ban Advances to Full Assembly

Assembly Bill 1204, which would outlaw the veterinary surgery commonly called “debarking” or “bark softening”, has passed the Assembly Codes Committee and is expected to be considered by the full New York Assembly very soon.

The AKC opposes this measure, which would restrict the rights of responsible dog owners to make viable, safe decisions on behalf of their pets in conjunction with their veterinarians.

There is much misinformation about the veterinary surgical procedure of debarking. Debarking is a viable veterinary procedure that may allow a dog owner to keep a dog in its loving home rather than to be forced toeuthanize or surrender it to a shelter when the pet's noisy behavior continually disrupts the community.

Debarking should only be performed under anesthesia by a qualified veterinarian after behavioral medication efforts to correct a dog’s excessive barking have failed. As with other veterinary medical decisions, the decision to debark a dog is best left to individual owners and their veterinarians.

New York residents are urged help ensure that this surgery can remain safe and legal by contacting their State Assemblymember and expressing concerns with Assembly Bill 1204.

AKC Government Relations (AKC GR) will continue to closely monitor this legislation and provide updates as they become available. For questions or more information, contact AKC GR at (919) 816-3720 or doglaw@akc.org.